A retired tradie has urged young Aussies to push through the hard years if they want to be sitting on six-figure salaries later in life. Australia is in the midst of a trade shortage and there are big concerns about what it will mean for housing supply and the property market in the future.
New data found there were roughly 2,000 fewer apprentices in 2024 compared to the year prior and 25,000 fewer non-trade roles like labourers. Andrew Sezonov, Group General Manager of WPC Group, an apprenticeship training centre, told Yahoo Finance the industry can't afford any more people dropping out.
"If this trend continues, we can expect delays in projects, higher costs and compromised work quality. To address and potentially avoid these risks in the future, we need a sufficient pipeline of skilled workers and drive more feasible programs for apprentices," he said.
RELATED
-
Gen Z FIFO tradie's brutal $300,000 'blunder' exposes major trap: 'Hard pill to swallow'
-
Mum-of-seven ditches Woolworths and Coles with $300 grocery hack: 'So much cheaper'
-
CBA, NAB, ANZ make major RBA interest rate call for millions: ‘Risk has increased'
'Work hard and reap the rewards': Ex-tradie's message to young Aussies
A 61-year-old was stopped on the streets of Brisbane and revealed what his life was like as a plumber for more than four-and-a-half decades.
He said it was a fantastic career and said it wasn't as "dirty" or "disgusting" as everyone thinks it is.
Do you have a story? Email stew.perrie@yahooinc.com
Just before he retired, he was earning $180,000 per year, which is more than double the average salary for a plumber in Australia of $87,750, according to Talent.
He explained that his impressive salary didn't come overnight.
"Do the hard yards at the start, reap the rewards at the end," he told jobs app Getahead.
"A lot of young people don't do hard work these days, and to get ahead, man, you gotta get through hard work."
Being an apprentice is tough amid cost-of-living crisis
While the veteran plumber said there is a light at the end of the tunnel if you work through the tough times, there's no denying that it's brutal being an apprentice at the moment.
MIGAS Apprentices & Trainees said an Aussie wanting to start a plumbing apprenticeship in 2025 can expect the following wages:
-
Under 17 years of age: $581.32 per week or $14.53 per hour for a 40-hour week
-
17 to 20 years of age: $635.63 per week or $15.89 per hour
-
Over 21 years of age: $954.10 per week or $23.85 per hour